Posted on 27 August
2009 - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Tuna conservation
and management measures for the western
and central Pacific approved just last December
are “highly unlikely” to restore bigeye
and yellowfin tuna fishing to sustainable
levels, according to a recently completed
assessment.
The Assessment of the
Potential Implications of Application of
CMM-2008-01, a technical evaluation by Pacific
Commission scientists charged with providing
advice to the Western and Central Pacific
Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) says that the
newly introduced Conservation and Management
Measure (CMM-2008-01) won’t meet its objectives
of maintaining bigeye tuna stocks and spawning
biomass at sustainable levels by simply
reducing the fishing mortality of bigeye
tuna by 30 per cent over three years.
The measure, which includes
setting effort and catch limits in longline
and purse seine fishing, closing fishing
of high-seas pockets, and implementing a
seasonal ban on Fish Aggregating Devices
(FADs), are just not enough to maintain
bigeye tuna stocks at sustainable fishing
levels over the next 10 years as planned.
The measure also is
unlikely to achieve planned targets of holding
yellowfin tuna fishing mortality to 2001-2004
average values.
“The value of this assessment
is that it shows the likely result on high
value tuna stocks of barely adequate fishing
controls that are then further weakened
with loads of exemptions,” said Dr. Jose
Ingles, WWF fisheries expert.
The CMM-2008-1, adopted
by the WCPFC in December 2008, was designed
to ensure that bigeye and yellowfin tuna
stocks are maintained at levels capable
of producing their maximum sustainable yield
through the implementation of compatible
measures for high seas and Exclusive Economic
Zones.
According to the assessment,
reductions in longline catch won’t be sufficient
for meeting the required reduction in fishing
mortality on adult bigeye tuna while the
exclusion of archipelagic waters from the
measure—which encompasses most of the fishing
activities of the Indonesian and Philippine
domestic fleets and significant amounts
of purse seine effort in Papua New Guinea
and Solomon Islands—leaves out an important
source of fishing mortality for juvenile
bigeye tuna.
Also, Fish Aggregation
Device (FAD) and high-seas pockets closures
cannot sufficiently offset the increase
in purse seine effort allowed under the
measure and cannot reduce purse seine fishing
mortality below 2001-2004 average levels.
The effect, according
to this assessment, will be little if any
reduction in the overfishing of bigeye tuna
from current high levels of 50-100% above
sustainable yield levels.
The spawning biomass
of bigeye tuna is also predicted to worsen
by 2018 between 40-60% below sustainable
levels.
“The fishing industry
is scrambling to supply growing international
demand for tuna, which puts tremendous pressure
on the already heavily fished tuna stocks
in the Coral Triangle” said Dr. Ingles.
“The Scientific Committee
of the WCPFC should immediately address
the shortcomings of the measure and recommend
appropriate steps to meet the objectives
it set forth.”
“The exemptions outlined
in the CMM-2008-01 have watered down its
effectiveness. Closing or banning fishing
in high seas for example will simply shift
fishing effort to the Central Pacific, which
scientist believe are more vulnerable areas
for bigeye tuna.”
The Coral Triangle contains
spawning and nursery grounds and migratory
routes for commercially-valuable tuna species
such as bigeye, yellowfin, skipjack and
albacore, producing more than 40% of the
total catch for the Western Central Pacific
region, and representing more than 20% of
the total global catch.
Bigeye tuna accounts
for 10% of the global tuna catch and is
eaten as steaks or as sushi and sashimi.
Catches in 2006, estimated
at over 2.3 million tones, were the highest
recorded; but two of the most valuable species,
bigeye and yellowfin tuna, are at serious
risk of overfishing.
“If we are to see an
effective reduction in the overfishing of
tuna in the Coral Triangle, we need to make
sure that the measures put in place are
sufficient and strong enough to create drastic
results” says Dr. Ingles. “Maintaining profitable
and sustainable tuna stocks means ensuring
the bounty of this shared resource for future
generations.”
